Humidifier and catheter unit



)n Dec. Z, 1905 s Y, GEBBON 2,727,508

IIUMIDIF'IER AND CATHETER UNIT Filed June l, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N VEN T Dec. 20, 1955 s. Y, @155cm HUMIDIFIER AND CATHETER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June l, 19

United States Patent O HUh/IIDIFIER AND CATHETER UNIT Samuel Y. Gibbon, Jenkintown, Pa., assignor to Air- Shields, Inc., Bucks County, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application June 1, 1954, serial No. 433,371 6 claims. (C1. 12s-1) This invention relates to humidifying equipment and is particularly concerned with apparatus suitable for therapeutic use with an enclosed occupants chamber which may also be used for an additional therapeutic function besides supplying humidiiication.

The apparatus is especially useful in connection with treatment of infants and children where they require a highly humidied atmosphere, such as when suffering from croup or other ailments of the nose, throat or lungs. In such ailments besides the need for a high humidity to soothe and moisten the membranes and loosen the excess mucus, it is also desirable to remove this mucus from the trachea to allow easier breathing. For this purpose a catheter is generally used.

It is the primary object of the present invention to combine the humidifier and the catheter required for such ailments into a single, compact unit. This unit uses the same source of power and same suction producing apparatus to operate both the humidiiier and the catheter.

It is also a specific object of the invention to provide an atomizer unit, the suction side of which may be selectively connected either to a liquid source for operating the humidier or to a low pressure chamber associated with the catheter system.

How these and other objects and advantages incidental to the invention are attained will be clear from the following description of the drawings, in which- Figure l is a view or an enclosed bassinet unit having the apparatus of the present invention attached thereto,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention to an enlarged scale with the vertical delivery pipe shown in section.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus having certain parts broken away for convenience.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the body of the apparatus showing the humidier liquid container and the atomizer unit, the view being taken along the line 4 4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the body of the apparatus showing the mounting and connecting construction for the low pressure catheter chamber, the view being taken along the line 5 5, Figure 2.

Referring to Figure l there is shown an enclosed bassinet unit having a lid 11 which is hinged at the middle to allow access to either end of the chamber. In the arrangement shown, the bassinet 10 is part of an infants rocking bed which may be used to assist breathing functions in ailments where breathing is dicult. The bassinet or chamber 1l) is supported in a cradle structure having vertical side members 12. These in turn are attached to frame structure having members 13 and 14 by means of pivot bearings supported in housing 15. By this construction a transverse rocking axis is provided near the head end of the chamber. Rocking motion is induced by means of arm 16 and link 17 which are actuated by suitable drive mechanism not shown. The bassinet unit forms no part of the present invention per se 2,727,508 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 lCC a typical application for the humidiwhich is shown connected to the head but serves to illustrate lier-catheter system end of the chamber.

The unit shown includes a body 18 which is supported n the rocking bed. From the body 18, a delivery duct 19 for conveying humidied atmosphere, extends upwardly and is connected to feed through an opening into the bassinet lil. A catheter tube 20 also extends from the upper side of the body member 18 and may pass through an opening in the wall of bassinet 10 to the inside where it is available for use in withdrawing mucus from the patients nose or throat.

The detail construction of the humidifier-catheter unit will be more clearly observed in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive. The delivery duct 19 is fastened to the base or body 18 by two screws 21. As is best seen in Figure 4 an atomizer 22 is supported on the body 18 by a fitting 23. Two tubes 24 and 25 extend from tting 23 to the atomizer 22. Attached to fitting 23 and connecting with tube 24 is a ilexible hose 26 which is used to connect to a gas supply under pressure such as a compressed air line or an oxygen Tube 24 connects to the central outlet 27 of the atomizer nozzle and is in line with the aperture 28 in the end of outer shell 29 of the atomizer. Between the outer shell 29 and the inner body 30 there is formed a cavity 31. Tube is connected to cavity 31 by the hole 32 through body 30. The lower end of tube 25 connects to annular passage 33 which in turn is connected to llexible hose 34, one end of which is firmly attached to the body 1S in a suitable fashion as indicated by tting 34a.

The delivery of gas under high pressure to the central opening 27 of the nozzle causes a low pressure in the cavity 31, thus producing a suction action in the tube 34 which is connected to the cavity 31. from Figures 2, 3 and 5, the other end of exible hose 34 may be attached to the body 18 at the outlet fitting 35.

chamber 38 to provide a nected to this chamber by means of channel 41 is the tiexible tube 34. Also attached to the chamber is catheter tube 20 which engages pressure tight fitting 42 which connects through body 18 to the upper end of chamber 38. Fitting 43 is attached to the end of catheter tube 20 to provide the connection to tting 42.

Thus the suction action produced in tube 34 causes a lowered pressure in chamber 38 resulting in a suction in catheter tube 20. When the catheter is in use, the suction causes the mucus to be drawn into tube 20 and carried to the chamber 38 where it is deposited. As has and sterilizing.

As has been mentioned, a similar jar or chamber 38a is also Supported on body 18. Chamber 38a serves as a reservoir for the i'luid which may be supplied to the Chamber 38a is clearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. It will be seen that a threaded supporting litting 39a similar to tting 39 is mounted in the body 18 and a seal 40a is also provided. As will be evident fitting a connects to a flexible tube 44 which extends to the bottom of chamber 33a`- and is equipped with a iine mesh screen particles of dirt clogging the atomizer.

, The tting 35aA is equipped with a tapered bore to engage the fitting '37 on the end of tube 34. Ihus tube 34 may be removed from the catheter system and connected with the humidier system by attaching to fitting 35a. The suction-'action produced in tube 34 draws up liquid from the chamber 38a and delivers it to the atomizer nozzle through outlet '27. Here it is 'broken up 'into `line particles which are lcarried by the atomizer iiow upwardly through the delivery duct 19 to the occupants chamber 10. The nozzle of the atomizer 'breaks the liquid particles into a fine mist. Any oversize .particles impinge .against the Walls of the duct as they move through .the duct and `particularly at the elbow. Such particles collect on the inner wall and run down tothe bottom of the duct where they collect and run back into chamber 38a through the drain channel 46..- It` will be obvious that if desired, medicaments such as aerosols may be delivered as a vapor by the atomizer system.

aBracirets 47 rare attached to body 18 to provide for the support of the unit on a wall or other supporting structure. From the foregoing it will be evident that I have provided an improved piece of equipment for use in connection with ailments ofthe nose, throat and'lungs. This compact device incorporates in a single apparatus two of the most effective means for relieving distress in such ailments. thus provides the common vThe atomizer unit means/for operating both the humidifying system and 'they catheter system. The exible tube with the quick connectible fitting allows the operator to easily change from one system to the other with no loss of time.

I claim:

i 1. Apparatus suitable lfor supplying humidiiied oxygen to 4an enclosed fchamberincluding a base having a delivery duct 4extending upwardly therefrom, an atomizer mounted on said base and located in the 'lower end of said duct, a channel leading `from said atomizer, a connecting titting for the delivery of gas through said channel under pressure, a second channel from said atomizer to a second -fitting in said base adjacent the 'bottom of said duct, a flexible external hose attached to said iitting, the opposite end of said hose being equipped with a quick-detachable 'tting, a fluid container attached to said base, a tube ieading from the Abottom of said container to a terminal ttin'g on said base, ysaid terminal iitting being formed to receive said quick-detachable fitting on said hose.

' 2; A construction in accordance with claim l in which a second container is mounted on said `base, vextending from the base above said second container, said tube having a flexible portion to be used as a catheter, another channel in the Vbase leading from the top of the nsecond container to a terminal iitting at the outsic'lt-tif the base, .said terminal tting also being formed to'receive the quick-detachable iitting on said hose thereby a tube fmmgettingintothesystemand permitting the atomizer unit to supply suction to said` second container tor operating 'the catheter.

3'. A combined humidifier and catheter unit having two containers, one of which is used to hold humiditying liquid and the other serves as the receptacle for the catheter, an atomizer, a duct extending upwardly from said atomizer, a connecting channel to said atomizer for :supplying gas under pressure, a second Achannel to said atomizer in which a negative pressure lis developed when the iirst channel is supplied Vwith gas under pressure, a flexible hose connected to 'said vsecond channel, connecting means on the other end of said hose for v'connecting either to said liquid container or to said catheter container and a tube connected to the upper portion of said catheter chamber.

4. A combination humidifier and catheter device having an atomizer member, a duct in which said atomizer f is supported, a connection to said atomizer for supplying gas under pressure, 'a container or holding humidifying liquid, .a iieXible connection between said container and said atomizer, said exible connection having a disconnectible fitting at the end connected to said container, a second container having a catheter `tube attached to the upper portion thereof, a terminal having a channel leading to said catheter container, said terminal being connectible to the disconnectible itting of vsaid iieXible connection when it is desired to use the device as a catheter system.

5. A construction according to claim 4 in which the iiexib'le connection is equipped with a friction fitterminal and two cooperating fittings are provided, one for connection to the liquid container and one for the catheter container.

6. A humidiier and catheter unit constructed for attachment to an infants therapeutic 'chamber including a supporting block, an atomizer unit supported on said block, a duct attached to said block leading upwardly therefrom, a pair of containers supported on the under side of said block, one of said containers serving as a iluid reservoir and having a tube leading from the bot-V torn of the container to a fitting on the block, the other container having a channel leading from the topv of the container to a second tting in the block, a catheter tube leading 'from the block above the second container, a flexible hose connected at one end to a fitting adjacent said atomizer, the other end of said hose being equipped with a readily detachable iitting which may be attached to the -titting connected to the uid container or the fitting connected to the catheter container.

References Cited in the'iiie'of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 

